Riccardo Riccò reported as taking out a Croatian racing licence for 2012

With less than two weeks to go before he is due to appear before the national anti-doping tribunal called by Italian Olympic Committee CONI, it appears that Riccardo Riccò may be attempting to sidestep the process.

According to Biciciclismo, the controversial Italian has taken out a license with the Croatian cycling federation, thus moving away from his own national federation.

The small Meridiana Kamen team is reported as being part of the application. Riccò transferred to the squad last year after he was dropped by the Vacansoleil team, and intended to begin racing with it in the Tour of Serbia in mid-June.

However that became impossible when on June 8th, the Commission for Health Protection of the Italian cycling federation decided to suspend his licence on health grounds. That initial 60 day ban was later extended by another 30 days by Dr Francis Plotinus, the president of the National Anti-Doping Tribunal, ensuring he couldn’t race again before the end of the season.

Riccò has said on numerous occasions that he wants to return to racing. The news that he has taken out a licence with the Croatian federation is clearly a move on his part to try to compete again.

It remains to be seen how CONI, the Italian federation and the UCI will respond.

Back in hot water:

Riccò was originally handed a lengthy ban after he tested positive for CERA during the 2008 Tour de France. He returned to racing in March 2010 with the Ceramica Flaminia team. He transferred to the Vacansoleil DCM squad later that year, then last season started off strongly when he was seventh in the GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise.

In order to determine the truth, an immuno-haematologist, a specialist in infectious diseases and a nephrologist, or kidney doctor were appointed to study his case. The trio, the professors Giancarlo Isacchi, Giuseppe Gentile and Sandro Feriozzi, reached their decision in mid-December and submitted it to Plotinus.